Thirteen youth athletes from the Badminton Association of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern traveled to Altwarmbüchen near Hannover last weekend to compete in the 3rd North German Ranking Tournament of the year for age groups U13 through U19. Facing a competitive field of 310 players from eight northern state associations, the regional contingent secured six podium finishes, including two tournament titles.
Titel Successes in U19 Singles and U17 Doubles
The regional squad delivered a strong performance across multiple age divisions at the Altwarmbüchen venue. Leading the charge for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 17-year-old Roman Pokrasen of BSC 95 Schwerin claimed the U19 boys’ singles title. In the U17 division, 14-year-old Lucas Jeschke of SV Motor Süd Neubrandenburg captured gold in the boys’ doubles competition.
Pokrasen added to his medal count by earning bronze in the U19 boys’ doubles alongside club teammate Bruno Seichter. Jeschke’s gold medal was bolstered by two additional third-place finishes: one in the U15 boys’ singles and another in the U15 mixed doubles paired with Charlotte Dettmann of BSC 95 Schwerin. Dettmann secured another podium spot in the U13 girls’ doubles by winning the third-place playoff alongside a replacement partner.
Coaching Assessment and National Recognition
Association Youth Officer Michael Hewelt and coach Wiebke Hermann guided the 13-player delegation through the weekend’s matches. Reflecting on the results, Hewelt stated that the athletes performed exceptionally well and earned diverse podium placements, marking a competitive upward trend for clubs within the northeastern state.
Hewelt highlighted the demanding training regimen undertaken by regional athletes, noting that players outside Schwerin frequently travel long distances to complete supplementary training sessions in the state capital. This preparation contributed to a recent selection by the German Badminton Association, which invited Lucas Jeschke to participate in a U17 national squad training camp.
Standout Results for Regional Cadets
Beyond the tournament titles, several regional players reached the quarterfinals and advanced into the later stages of their respective draws:
- Charlotte Dettmann (Schwerin): 3rd place in U13 doubles, 4th place in U13 singles, 3rd place in U15 mixed (with Lucas Jeschke)
- Emil Hermann (Schwerin): Tied for 5th place in U13 mixed, tied for 5th place in U15 doubles (with Konrad Wendt)
- Konrad Wendt (Ludwigslust): Tied for 5th place in U13 doubles (with Emil Hermann)
- Lucas Jeschke (Neubrandenburg): 1st place in U17 doubles, 3rd place in U15 singles, 3rd place in U15 mixed (with Charlotte Dettmann)
- Pauline Mellenthin (Rostock): Tied for 5th place in U15 singles, 4th place in U15 doubles
- Lea Alexa Möller (Schwerin): 5th place in U17 singles, 4th place in U17 doubles (with Helene Hermann)
- Helene Hermann (Schwerin): 4th place in U17 doubles (with Lea Alexa Möller)
- Bruno Seichter (Schwerin): Tied for 5th place in U19 mixed, 3rd place in U19 doubles (with Roman Pokrasen)
- Roman Pokrasen (Schwerin): Tied for 5th place in U19 mixed, 1st place in U19 singles, 3rd place in U19 doubles (with Bruno Seichter)
- Yara Metzlaff (Greifswald): Tied for 5th place in U19 doubles
Upcoming State Championships in Güstrow
Attention within the association turns to the upcoming regional calendar. Team members previously established a playful wager regarding the Altwarmbüchen matches, with Bruno Seichter pledging to compete in a skirt at the upcoming state singles championship if Lucas Jeschke won his doubles bracket in the higher age category. Whether that wager is fulfilled will be determined on October 10 at the tournament in Güstrow.
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